I'm coming home
by Avalon2
Summary: Harry and an old friend chat on the Knight Bus about the defeat of Voldemort and what they're coming home to. *COMPLETE*
1. Old Acquaintences

It's been a while since I've posted here.  So, I'm a bit rusty on the writing part.  Please forgive me.  So I humbly come before you and present this story.  It's not going to be very long.  

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and all that jazz

Chapter 1: Old Acquaintances 

            Harry Potter sits on the comfy couch on the Knight Bus staring at the scenery passing by.  The bus slows to a stop and let some more people on.  Curious, Harry turns his head and recognizes an old friend.

            "Neville!"  Harry gets up and shakes his friend's hand.  Neville with his ever-present medical bag greets Harry with a large smile.  "What are you up to mate?  Going home?"

            "Of course Harry.  Can I assume the same for you?"

 "I suppose.  I'm not sure of the welcome I'll get at the Burrow."

"A big one I can assure you that my friend."  Neville and Harry sits down on the couch and orderes two hot cocoas from the passing attendant. 

"So Neville, tell me, what are you planning to do now that the war is over?  You're one of the last ones to leave the battlefield."

"So were you if I remember correctly.  I couldn't leave till all my patients were cleared to go home.  But now that the war is over, I'm thinking I should start my practice or maybe go back to Hogwarts to dote over those lovely children who tend to get themselves into so much trouble, eh Potter?"  Harry gives him a look, knowing full well that that last part was a jab at Harry's record for ending up in the infirmary, especially his 7th year.  

"Well, thanks to you Neville, many people are alive today."

"I'm just glad I could help somewhere in this god forsaken war.  I couldn't help on the battlefield, that's for sure.  You know I would have died in 3 minutes had I been there. No, I'd just get in the way there."

"Hey Neville, what are you coming home too?"

"My family.  Hopefully my Grandma doesn't plan to set me up with some girl.  She threatened me with an unforgivable curse once if I didn't give her a great-grandchild.  What about you Harry?"

"I have the Weasleys and Hermione.  I had sent Ron and Hermione home a year ago.  They both were so tired.  You know they had been fighting along side me since the beginning.  I don't think they could have taken much more."

*_flashback_*

"You are not sending us back Harry Potter!"  Hermione's face was flushed with anger as was Ron's. 

"Harry, are you stupid?  You need us here with you."

"Guys," Harry held up his hands to ward off any more verbal attacks, "I'm just giving you some time off.  I see how exhausted you are.  I'm sending you back to do research for me.  Find me weaknesses.  Right now, we can't even find their base.  Please…just do this for me."

Hermione heaved a very heavy sigh and nodded her head.  Ron placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.  Both didn't like the idea of leaving their best friend but they knew they were tired. 

"Harry, won't you come with us?  You need rest more than any of us."  Hermione looked straight into Harry's eyes knowing full well he'd refuse.

"I can't guys.  I have to stay, I have to-"

"It's not your fault that he came back Harry!"  Ron shouted knowing full well what Harry would have said.

"Yes it is Ron!  The same blood that runs through his veins also runs through mine!  I have to stop that madman.  It was because of me that he came back."

The room grew quiet. 

"Ron," Harry broke the silence.

"Yeah, mate?"

"Keep an eye out for Ginny for me please.  And give her this letter.  It's been a while since I've been able to send anything to her."

"Sure mate."  Ron and Hermione left Harry's tent.

*_end flashback_*

"That must have been hard for you Harry.  Having no contact with anyone that you cared for."

"It was.  I could only send letters; never receive them.  I wrote every chance I got to Ginny, which wasn't often at all."

"Ya know Harry, I was interested in Ginny for a while but she never took her eyes off of you.  And then after a while it was just so obvious that you couldn't take your eyes off of her as well." 

Harry blushes at this mention.  "I was a stupid kid for not noticing her sooner."

"It's alright, we're allowed to be idiots once in our life."

"I just have to wonder Neville, if she moved on or not.  I have been away for four years with only letters from me at random times.  I couldn't get any letters from her since I was at the front."  

"I believe Harry, that Ginny is still waiting for you.  I bet you anything right now she's looking out the window waiting for the Knight Bus."

"I didn't tell them I was coming."  Harry gives this mischievous grin.  "Wanted to surprise them, especially Ginny."

"Harry you prat," Neville elbows his friend playfully.  "So tell me Harry, tell me about that pretty American you brought in for me to mend up right after the defeat of Voldemort.  Nothing going on between the two of you right?"

"Oh her…right.  Yes, nothing between us at all.  She helped me defeat Voldemort.  I met her by coincidence when I was investigating a place that was rumored to be the meeting place of the Death Eaters."

*_flashback_*

Harry crept silent with his wand ready.  The corridor was long and dark.   He neared the corner and stopped.  He thought he heard a noise, the softest whisper of footsteps, but then even that sound stopped.  Harry took a silent deep breath and readied himself.  Within a split second, Harry turned the corner and pointed his want only find himself eye to eye with the barrel of a black handgun.  Harry froze, thinking, would he be able to cast a spell with his wand before the owner of the handgun fired?  He finally looked into the eyes of his enemy.  He was surprised to see that it was an Asian woman with intense brown eyes staring back at him.  She moved slowly, but with the gun always pointed at him.  Carefully, she moved closer to him and shocked Harry by brushing his bangs aside.  

With a sigh, she put her gun down.

"Nice to finally meet you Harry Potter."  She's an American!  Harry was confused as ever.

"The Death Eaters are gone.  By the time I got here, they had left.  Apparently we just missed them, everything still looks new."

Finally able to find his voice, Harry opened his mouth.

"My name is Sarah Tran.  Come, we should find a safer place to chat."  Sarah took Harry to one of the safe houses set up by wizards who were fighting against Voldemort. 

Finally safe, Harry tried to speak again. "How do you know my name?"

"The famous Harry Potter," Sarah gave a small smile, "who else has a lightning bolt scar?"

"Are you a wizard?"

"Of course not.  If I were, would I be carrying a gun?  No, I'm a muggle, but my brother, cousin and fiancé are wizards."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm from the FBI in America.  I was sent here to investigate mysterious deaths in the US.  Though I shouldn't be here, this is personal you see.  Death Eaters murdered my brother and my cousin.  I'm here to make sure they don't get to my fiancé.  He's the last family I have alive.  He's not too happy, but he knows he can't stop me.  My investigations led me here."

"I don't think guns would be very effective against wizards."

"Actually, it is if the wizard doesn't know what's coming.  Look Harry, we're both looking for Voldie.  I have some information that may help you, but I also know you can help me find him.  I haven't had much luck recently.  I keep coming to dead ends."

Harry agreed that he did need help.  He had sent Ron and Hermione away almost a year ago and it was finally getting to him.  He was exhausted and just plain tired of living on the edge.  His nerves were going to give way if he didn't finish this soon.

"Look, Harry, we can finish this tomorrow.  You look horrible.  I'll stand guard and you can sleep."

Harry thankfully took up the offer and went to sleep.

*_end flashback_*

"Harry, so with her help you found You Know Who?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna make sure the whole wizarding world know that too.  I'll tell the Daily Prophet that a muggle helped me defeat Voldemort.  Maybe they'll treat muggles better after that."

"I see.  Say Harry, would it hurt you too much to tell me what happened when you faced Voldemort?"

Before Harry could continue, Neville's stomach let out a tremendous growl.  Harry just gives a hearty laugh. 

"Perhaps after lunch Neville."

That's it for now.  Hopefully it wasn't too bad.  I'll finish it up in one more chapter.  See? Not too long.  As always, reviews are always welcomed.  Thanks for reading.


	2. I'm home

Hey guys! Last chapter here. It really is! Promise, no sequel or anything to this. Feels good to be posting again. : ) Watch, it'll be another 1.5 years before I post again…sadness. Okay, on with the show.

Disclaimer: You know the drill…

Chapter 2: I'm home

Harry Potter looks at Neville carefully.

"Are you sure you want to know Neville? It isn't going to be pleasant."

"Of course I want to know. Unless, that is, you are planning on publishing a book on your defeat of You Know Who."

Harry laughs at the idea.

"There is no way I'm going to become an author. I'll let Ginny write it down, she's the journalist."

"So that's your inside contact to the Daily Prophet."

"Hehe yeah. It's pretty convenient I suppose."

"So, are you going to tell me?"

"Fine. Sarah and I managed to pool our sources together and find the base of Lord Voldemort. There wasn't time to call in backup. I wished there was though. It was rumored that Voldemort was going to move his base again. So the two of us had to act fast. It took us a month to find his base and we weren't going to let him get away. I had to perform an unforgivable curse on Voldemort or else he was going to kill Sarah. Hell, Voldemort was human now, he could die like any of us."

flashback

Sarah tightened the silencer on her gun once again; the Death Eater's body at her feet. Harry stared at the tall wooden door in front of him.

"This can't be it, can it Sarah? It's just so obvious."

"I don't think Voldie expected anyone to get in this far Harry."

"He has to know we're here. We've disposed of too many Death Eaters not to raise any alarm."

"I know. Ready?"

Sarah put a new clip in her gun. "Let's go."

Sarah kicked the door open and had her gun raised right away. It was a large circular stone room with columns evenly placed around it to support it. A single beam of light shown from the middle of the room to illuminate the fearsome figure in the center, Voldemort. Two Death Eaters came running at the intruders but Sarah shot them down. She aimed for Voldemort and fired but Voldemort, with a flick of his wand somehow turned the shot around and Sarah fell to the ground with a scream clutching her left arm. Harry raised his wand as Voldemort turned his attention towards Harry. A gunshot rang out and Voldemort's wand lay broken on the ground.

Voldemort let an angry his escape his slit nostrils and turned his cold eyes towards Sarah again. His hand opened and a wand from one of the Death Eater's flew to it. He raised the wand and pointed it at Sarah.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Voldemort fell to the ground immediately. Sarah looked and saw Harry with his wand aimed where Voldemort had stood.

"Neville!" Harry shouted across the medical tent.

"Harry, I was shot in the arm, I can walk you know." Sarah sat at a chair waiting for Neville to come and treat her. Neville hurried over and began to clean the wound and heal her arm.

After a week, Sarah was getting ready to leave for the USA. Harry came to her room to thank her for all her help. He walked to her door and knocked on it a few times. Sarah opened the door and smiled at Harry, motioning for him to come in. Her bags were mostly packed and Harry saw a laptop computer on the table.

"I'm writing out my report for my agency," said Sarah as if to answer the unvoiced question Harry had.

"I came to say thank you for all your help Sarah."

"It really was my pleasure Harry." Sarah gave a huge smile, "My fiancé is safe now thanks to you and me. I bet he won't appreciate it that much. Come to think of it, I've been away far too long from him. I'm glad to be going home now."

"Who is your fiancé?"

"Why, he's your arch nemesis Harry. Draco Malfoy."

"WHAT?!"

Sarah laughed very hard after Harry's outburst.

"You could say Harry, that it was love at first fight. I've come to show him that not all muggles are stupid. Just some of us."

"Are you the reason he left for the US?"

"Oh no, he was trying to protect his mother. He took her to the US in the hopes that he could escape his father who was trying to make him into a Death Eater. He promised to help the ministry in exchange for safety. They put him in the US to keep him from Voldemort's main base. My cousin and brother were protecting him. That's how I met him, the FBI wanted me to keep tabs on him too. During that time we were attacked and that's how my brother and cousin were killed by Death Eaters."

Harry just stood there trying to take it all in. This pretty woman before him was going to marry Draco Malfoy. She was even stronger than he thought.

"Well, then I would like to wish for the best for you and Draco then. If you really want to irk him, tell him I said 'Hello.'"

"Don't worry, I will." Sarah gave a mischievous smile.

end flashback

Neville just stares at Harry with wide eyes before letting a quiet "wow" escape his lips.

"I know," answers Harry, "she's marrying Draco. That's just so unthinkable."

"I meant how you defeated Voldemort. And I suppose the fact that Draco is marrying a muggle for that matter."

"Mr. Longbottom," calls out the attendant. "This is your stop, sir."

"Thank you. I'll see you around then Harry. Always feel free to visit."

"Will do, mate."

Harry shakes hands with Neville. He looks out the window to see Neville's grandma coming out of the house. She is wearing her typical green robes, a fox-fur scarf, a distinctive hat topped with a stuffed vulture. Everyone runs out of the house to greet Neville in one big family bear hug. Harry smiles at the scene before him as the bus flies off. Harry leans back into the couch and closes his eyes, his thoughts wandering off again towards Ginny, where they often would go. He begins to think back to the last time he's seen her in person.

flashback

Harry held Ginny's hand and they walked back to the Burrow. It was getting late and Ginny knew that Harry would have to sleep soon since he would be leaving tomorrow morning.

"Ginny?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"I'm sorry I was such an idiot."

"Oh don't you dare Mr. Harry James Potter!" Harry gave Ginny a quizzical look.

"Don't you dare go all mushy on me apologizing like in any romance novel for being such an idiot for not noticing the girl before. I won't have it! You are no idiot to me. All that counts is that you're here right now with me underneath this star filled sky."

"Now you're getting mushy on me Ms. Ginerva Weaseley."

"I apologize Mr. Potter." Before she could say more, Harry leaned down and kissed her. Ginny didn't let go after the kiss. She held on to him tightly.

"Do you have to go Harry?"

"Yeah I do," whispered Harry.

Ginny whispered so softly that Harry could barely hear her. "Just give me this one night then Harry."

"What?"

"Just one night Harry. That's all I ask for."

"Ginny, you don't know what you're saying."

"I fully understand what I'm saying Harry."

Harry looked deeply into Ginny's eyes then kissing her one more time before letting her lead him inside the house.

end flashback

"Mr. Potter. Mr. Potter!" Harry's eyes open to find the attendant staring at him. "This is your stop, sir."

"Thank you." Harry gets off the Knight Bus with his things to see a Ginny looking to see who is coming off the bus. Her shocked face mirrors Harry's. Ginny is holding a beautiful bouncing baby boy; his red curly hair already apparent on his small round head. Harry feels his stomach drop to the ground but he still walks to the gate, never taking his eyes off of Ginny.

"Hi Ginny." Harry stops right in front of her and finds himself in a one armed bear hug with the red head woman.

"Oh Harry! I thought you'd never come back! You have no idea how much I've missed you!"

"I've missed you too Ginny, more than even you can imagine I believe. So who is this little fellow?" Harry asks directing his gaze at the baby in Ginny's arms.

With a very large smile, Ginny answers, "This is Ron and Hermione's first child, Joseph. I'm babysitting for them till they get back from the mark-"

Before Ginny can finish, Harry kisses her suddenly.

"Mummy!" Harry and Ginny break the kiss and turn to see a young girl with red hair and jade eyes looking ever so confused at the scene before her.

"Harry," whispers Ginny, "I'd like you to meet your daughter, Lily. Oh how I wished I could tell you, but there was no way to get news to you with you being at the front and all." Harry is just shocked; he carefully lets go of Ginny and gets down on one knee to look at the girl before him. He can see himself in her eyes. The girl goes up to him, then looks up at Ginny with a questioning look.

"Daddy?" She blinks a few times thinking this is just a dream. The pokes his nose, tugs his ear and pokes his cheeks. Harry chuckles at this and picks up the girl in a big hug.

"Daddy!" Lily yells again and returns the bear hug. Harry and Lily look to Ginny to see tears falling down her cheeks.

"Don't cry mummy," comforts Lily.

"That's right," answers Harry with a smile. "Don't cry mummy."

Ginny lets out an exasperate laugh and pulls her family into one big hug.

"Let's so inside won't we?" invited Ginny.

"Yes, let's." Harry, still holding his daughter takes Ginny's hand and they walk back inside the Burrow.

Fin (I've always wanted to use that word. : ) )

A/N: Well there it is…Hope it was fun to read.

Bye everyone!


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